The Apocalyptic Woman, from "The Apocalypse"

The Apocalyptic Woman, from "The Apocalypse" by Albrecht Dürer, is a powerful woodcut print dating to 1511. This iconic image is a central piece within Dürer's revolutionary series illustrating the Book of Revelation. The series, originally published in 1498 and reissued in 1511 with accompanying Latin text, solidified the German Renaissance master’s reputation across Europe, demonstrating that the print medium could convey profound narrative and artistic complexity on par with painting.

The central figure, the Woman Clothed with the Sun (Revelation 12), stands atop a crescent moon, radiating divine light and crowned with stars. Below her, the horrific, seven-headed Dragon, one of the primary antagonists of the Apocalypse narrative, prepares to devour her child. Dürer masterfully uses the demanding woodcut technique to convey this intense drama, employing precise crosshatching and varied line weight to articulate the voluminous drapery of the woman and the terrifying scales of the Dragon. The intense struggle between good and evil is further emphasized by the inclusion of Angels fighting the demonic forces above, capturing the fervor and anxiety surrounding eschatological beliefs at the turn of the sixteenth century.

The 1511 edition was crucial to the widespread dissemination of Dürer's imagery, cementing his status as one of the most accessible and influential artists of his generation. This specific impression, which showcases the quality and technical detail Dürer achieved in his prints, is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a historical masterwork, this piece often resides in the public domain, allowing for extensive scholarly examination of the artist’s unparalleled contribution to the history of Western printmaking.